In-form Brisbane Lion dismisses the doomsayers

BRISBANE is a 100-1 long shot to win the flag after losing two of its first three games, but midfielder Pearce Hanley reckons "things aren't that bad".

The Lions gave their fans plenty of hope when they won the pre-season NAB Cup.

However, successive losses and a slender win over the Gold Coast have lengthened its premierships odds with bookmakers.

Hanley, who was putting Kawana Park juniors through their paces at Bokarina yesterday, said the Lions were improving and still targeting a finals berth.

"One game against the Bulldogs (a 68-point loss) doesn't mean you are in bad form," he said.

"We got over that and put in a good performance against Adelaide (a 19-point defeat) when we just couldn't get over the line and then we won (by two points over the Suns) last weekend, so things aren't too bad."

Hanley simply dismissed betting agency odds.

"I'm not looking at anything exterior to what's going on at the club at the moment," he said.

"We're focusing on ourselves, and finals are a goal, but that's a long way away.

"We're just focusing on this weekend's game ... if we want to go higher up the table we need to beat teams like North Melbourne."

Hanley is wary of the winless Roos.

"We're sure they're going to come at us and we're ready for that," he said ahead of Sunday's Etihad Stadium clash.

"We're going to make sure our intensity is right."

He said the Lions had shown enough venom against the Suns to suggest they could pose a threat to the Roos.

"We improved in our intensity in and around the contest and with our pressure," he said.

"The skills got better and our boys found a bit more form."

Hanley, 24, was among the Lions' best and kicked the winning goal at Metricon Stadium on Saturday,

"I'm happy enough with how I'm going, but I'm working hard on the track and I'll continue to do so," he said.

The Irishman's contract with Brisbane ends this year but he is keen to stay.

"Of course I'd love to stay at the Lions," he said.

"I've been at Brisbane for five years, so I'm settled in.

"Hopefully, I'll let my football do the talking and let my manager worry about my off-field stuff," he said in reference to a possible new deal with the club.